Pulp-feeder.



T. P. HARK 'S.

PULP FEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1912.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

T. F. HARKINS.

PULP FEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CDLUMBIIA PLANOGRAPH CQ VASHINGTON D. c.

ilNfTE STATE PATENT @Fhl filfil.

THOMAS F. HARKINS, OF LEADVILLE, (JOIAJ'lE-tADO ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0MUR- DOCK A. NICHOLSON AND ONE- -IALF TO ALEXANDER E. FOWLIE, OFLEADVILLE,

COLORADO.

PULP-FEEDER.

LGSLtSt.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS F. HARKINS, acitizen of the United States, residing at lieadville, county of Lake,and State of Colorado, iave invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Pulp-Feeders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figuresof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to pulp feeders, and is intended to be used withseparators and concentrators of different forms but primarily withmachines known as placer machines.

One object of the invention is the provision of means for feedingmaterial evenly from a single trough to a plurality of tables or planes.

Other objects of the invention will appear herinafter as I proceed withthe description of that embodiment, which, for the purpose of thepresent application, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine in which my invention is employed.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken upon the line 22, Fig.1, and looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a verticaltransverse section taken on the line 33, Fig. 2, and looking in thedirection of the arrow. Fig. 4 is an inverted plan View of thestationary platform, forming a part of the machine.

The same reference numerals refer to like parts in each of the views.

In the drawing, I have illustrated, in Fig. 1, a machine including twounits, the balance of the machine being broken away, as in practice Ipropose to use ten units arranged side by side as are the two unitsillustrated, but it should be understood that the number is not limited,and that it may vary under different conditions.

At one end of the machine is a hopper 5 for reception of the pulp to betreated. A rotatably mounted screw 6 is arranged to move the pulp out ofthe hopper 5 into and along a feed box 7. which is located above theends of all of the units. The feed box Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16,1913.

Serial No. 733,237.

is provided with a lining 8 preferably of metal, the lining being curvedacross the bottom of the feed box concentrically with the axis of thescrew ('3. In the bottom of this lining are openings 9, one for eachunit of the machine. Below the openings 9 are openings 10 in the feedbox, the size of the latter openings being arranged to be controlled byslides 11.

A water main 12 having a stop-cock 13 therein supplies water to alaunder 14 extending alongside the feed box 7 throughout its entirelength. ater may be admitted from the launder to the feed box throughopenings 15, the flow of water being regulated by vertically slidinggates 16.

The substructure of the machine comprises beams 17 laid longitudinallyof the machine and having mounted thereon transverse frame bars 18.Blocks 19 and 20 mounted upon the frame bars 18 serve to support the fedbox and launder above referred to.

Each unit of my machine consists, partly, of a pan 21 preferably ofmetal, with a framework of any suitable construction and material.Corrugated bars 22 are attached to the under surface of the pans ortheir framework, the corrugations being arranged to rest upon rollers 23which are supported upon the longitudinal beams 17, four such rollersbeing shown in the drawing for each pan. That a of the bars 22 becorrugated is not essential to the proper working of the machine; and,in fact, the corrugations in all of the bars may be omitted if desired,the reciprocation of the pans being suflicient in some cases, but thepreferred construction is as illustrated in the drawing. Other rollers24 are mounted upon the frame bars 18 and engage the sides brackets 29against the top surfaces of the supports 25.

The lower surface of the platform 28 is provided with dependingprojections 31, preferably screws, inorder that the exposedlength may beadjusted, these projections being arranged in rows, as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 4, or in any other desired manner. In the machineshown in the drawing I have employed auxiliary depending pins 32 nearthe feed end of the pan where the agitation due to the flow of water isgreatest. The projections tend to interrupt the carrying toward. thewaste exit 27 of the heavier values. This interruption gives the valuesan opportunity to settle to the bottom of the pan, while. the lighterandvalueless material finds-its way between thedepending projections andon toward the waste exit.

A shaft 33 is mounted within bearings-34 secured to the transverse framebars: 18, power being supplied to the shaft through a pulley 35 overwhich is adapted to run a belt from any suitable power source (notshown). In the shaft, opposite each reciprocating pan 21, is locatedanieccentric v36. Pivotally connected to the eccentric 36 andto the pan21 atv the point 37 is a connecting rod 38, by means ofwhichreciprocationis communicated to the pan- 21. A- sprocket wheel. 39 fixedupon the shaft 33 transmits motion through a chain 10 to a sprocketwheel41 wherebyv the screw 6qis rotated. A. trough 4:2 i arranged beneath theouter-ends of. the pans 21 to receive the waste material, con: veying itto. a suitable dumping ground.

From the foregoing description, the op eration ofjmy improvedplacermachine will be obvious.

The material tobe treated is dumpedinto the hopper 5 and carried alongthefeed box 7 by the rotationof the screw 6, water being simultaneouslyadmitted to the feed. box through the-openings 15.. The. amount ofmaterial permitted to enter each unit of the.

machine is regulated by the slide 11. A

constant flow of material toward the waste 45 will'be controlled by theheight of the gate 16 and the consequent amount of water used, therebeing no incline of the pans to cause any flow. lY-ow. as the materialencounters the depending projections 31 and 32, the momentum oftheheavier particles will be greatly lessened, giving them anopportunity to. sink to the botto1n:of.the. pa n,.where they willremain, the water and lighter; material flowing over them. Substantiallyall of the preeiousmetahvalues will be precipitated to the bottom ofthe. pan before reaching a point two-thirds of the distance towardthewaste exit end, the balance of the pan, up to the height of the bottomof the waste exit 27, beingfilledwith black sand. and othercomparatively heavy material. As soon as the sediment. inthe bottom ofthe pans has reachedthe leveliof the bottom of the waste exit, theoperation ofthe machine should be discontinued and the pans removed forthe. cleaning:up.

I claim. as my invention A feeding apparatus for ore treating mechanism,consistingof a. pulp trough provided at. regular. intervalswith exit.openings, aifeedscrew rotatably, mounted within said trough and alaunder mounted parallel with and. adjacent to said. trough, saidlaunder being in communication with. the trough and adaptedto deliverwater. upon the screwopposite. each exit opening.

In testimony. whereof; I aflixmy-t, signature in presence of twowitnesses,

THOMAS; F. HARKINS; lVitnesses THOMAS SHELTQN, J os. I-IEATHoooK.

Copies.- of; this patent-may beaobtained; for five cents each, byaddressing thez Commissioner ofglatents Washington, D. G.

